New Suicide Squad #20 review

We’re treated to another issue of Seeley & Ferreyra’s New Suicide Squad, and all I can find myself thinking is, “Are we sure there’s not a way these two can continue this book, and manage their Rebirth titles at the same time?” Because, let’s face it… That would be awesome!

This arc has focused on select members of the Suicide Squad trying to escape the clutches of Waller once and for all. After receiving some outside communication, Harley rallies the team, and they plan their escape… The only thing is, they essentially escape one prison for another when it’s revealed that their liberator is a member of the Fist of Cain. And what exactly does the FoC want with the Squad? To kill them, of course!

Harley, Deadshot, Cheetah, and Diablo have been locked away in a German facility with a “faux Squad,” fighting for their life against the Fist. So far, all members except for two, Deathtrap and Hellslayer, have been killed from the “faux Squad,” but all of Waller’s pets are still kicking. At this point, the survivors have managed to last a day, but a new day is about to start, so it’s kill or be killed! And our favorite rejects refuse to be killed!

With so much death and murder occurring in this title at the moment, you’d think it would be an extremely heavy book, but it’s not. Seeley is doing an outstanding job capturing the characters, as well as their insanity, and it’s bringing an element of fun and humor to the story. Humor/ fun and murder shouldn’t work so well together, but somehow this creative team makes it possible. I mean, seriously, how can you not love this page?

In this issue, the Squad, with Deathtrap, plan their course of action. They’ve been fighting off the Fist of Cain individually, and know that, that approach will only last for so long. Instead, they’re going to plan their attack as a team. Unbeknownst to them, Waller has been educated on their status, and is currently in route with Boomerang and Hunky Punk. Now, you may think that she picked two yahoos to join her – if you recall, I’m not completely sold on Hunky Punk – but both characters have some really nice moments in this issue! And I have to thank/ give credit to Seeley for making Boomerang something other than an idiot or the butt of a joke.

In all of this though, Adam Reed still has some tricks up his sleeve, and now that the Fist of Cain have been losing momentum, he doesn’t hold back. But the really interesting aspect of this issue of the mystery surrounding his former lover, whom he murdered in a previous issue. Last month we saw her come back to life, and in this issue, we get even more answers. There are a lot of twists and turns in this issue, and it’s one hell of a ride!

The Art: You ready for more Ferreyra praise? Cause it’s coming! In our Upcoming Comics post, I stated that he was the real VIP of this run, and I stand by that statement. I love Seeley, but Ferreyra takes the cake on this one! He just manages to capture so many elements, so well. If there’s humor in the script, he enhances it. If there’s action, he does his best to make it brutal, and develops a seriousness and tone that helps pack a punch. And above all else, his work is stunningly beautiful.

No, there’s nothing beautiful about killing a person – well, maybe if you’re psychotic – but there are moments here and there where he infuses beauty into his art. I absolutely love it! And if you never pay attention to credits, please realize that he covers all aspects of the art! There’s usually a team of people doing this, but he manages to do all of it… And his final product still looks better than a majority of the art that’s out there these days! The dude is gifted!

Breakdowns for this issue can be found in the spoiler tag.

Spoiler

The Good: Boomerang. There are moments that are few and far between, where Boomerang surprises me… and quite frankly, that’s a shame. It’s not a shame that he surprises me, it’s a shame that he’s downplayed as often as he is. Yes, he’s an idiot. Yes, his name is stupid… But underestimating him would be a huge mistake. Thankfully, Seeley presented him in way that allows him to be fully realized, rather than just serving as a caricature of himself.

Mister Hockey Puck! I actually chuckled at this. Last month I harped on this character because he felt like such a joke. At first I thought it was a nod to an old character, then I realized it was a new character that he was trying to make feel vintage. Either way, I wasn’t fond of Mister Ashmore’s alter ego, Hunky Punk. I just can’t take the character seriously. But then he had a really good scene early in this issue, and followed it up by rescuing Harley… Hmm… Maybe I wrote this character off too quickly… And then he gets shot and killed, while Harley yells, “Mister Hockey Puck!” because she can’t remember his name… Classic Seeley!

Tattoo of a Rose. At one point, the Squad finds a blood painted rose on the floor, and it sends Deathtrap into a panic. Apparently there’s a nursery rhyme or fairy tale that speaks to what this is. Deathtrap mentions that he spoke the rhyme, so I’m assuming it was the song he was singing when we first met him. Either way, there’s clearly something mystical or supernatural involved with the rose, and the concept is entertaining.

Waller. It’s nice to be reminded that Waller can kick some ass as well, and she gets to do that here. But what I enjoy even more, is that she actually cracks a joke after saving Deadshot!

Ah, @#$% it. Whoa! I didn’t see that coming! I mean, I don’t buy for a second that Deadshot is dead, but the betrayal was nicely executed. Also… Nooooo! I really like Deathtrap. Don’t turn him into a bad guy, essentially mark him as someone who is guaranteed to be killed!

The Bad: Tattoo of a Rose. Yep, this is one of those moments where I list something as both good and bad. I love the idea of what’s taking place, and I enjoy that this spiritual being has been incarnated through Seraphine… but I’m still not exactly sure what’s going on… or why Seraphine was chosen… Is one actually chosen for this, or do you just have to be dead? Who knows… This isn’t exactly bad, but I’m wondering if I should give it a little side-eye. For the moment, I’m keeping faith in Seeley’s talent…

Recommended if:

You ever wanted to see Deadshot ask Harley for advice.

You’re looking for a high energy, action packed read that’s full of twisted goodness.

You want to read the best interpretation of the Suicide Squad since the launch of New Suicide Squad

You, like me, think Seeley and Ferreyra make a super team!

Overall: Brains, bullets, and bodies! Oh my! Seeley and Ferreyra continue to knock New Suicide Squad out of the park with a story that’s as fun as it is violent! You never know what to expect with these two, and considering their overseeing an unpredictable group of misfits, the potential is endless. If you gave up on New Suicide Squad in the past, you should give this run a shot. It’s worth it.